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“Minerals are found… (Class 10 Social Science 2026, Q17b)

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Social ScienceCBSE Class 10 · Board exam 2026, set 32/5/1 · 5 marks · Long answer

CBSE Class 10 Social Science 2026: question 17(b)

Set in the CBSE Class 10 board exam of 2026, paper 32/5/1, section B, question 17(b), for 5 marks. Try it first; the hints and our step-by-step solution are below.

Q17(b) · 5 marks · Long answerMinerals and Energy Resources

“Minerals are found in various forms and types, each having distinct properties.” Support the statement with suitable arguments.

Source: official question paper from cbse.gov.in (PDF). See it in the full 2026 board paper, set 32/5/1.

Hints

Open one hint at a time and try again before the next.

Hint 1

Think of the different rocks in which minerals occur.

Hint 2

Think of evaporation, weathering and alluvial deposits.

Step-by-step solution

Each step shows the marks it earns, as an examiner would award them. Checked by an independent re-solve from the question paper.

  1. In igneous and metamorphic rocks, minerals occur in cracks, joints, faults and fissures. They are formed when minerals in liquid or gaseous form are forced up, cooled and solidified. Small occurrences are veins and large ones are lodes. Examples are metallic minerals like zinc, copper, tin and lead.

    1 mark

  2. In sedimentary rocks, many minerals are formed by deposition, accumulation and concentration in horizontal strata. Coal and some iron ores formed through long periods of intense heat and pressure.

    1 mark

  3. Another group in sedimentary rocks, such as gypsum, potash salt and sodium salt, forms by evaporation in arid regions.

    1 mark

  4. Decomposition of surface rocks removes soluble elements and leaves a residual mass of weathered material containing ores, as in the formation of bauxite.

    1 mark

  5. Placer deposits occur as alluvial deposits in sands of valley floors and the base of hills. They hold minerals not corroded by water, such as gold, silver, tin and platinum. Ocean water also contains minerals such as common salt, magnesium and bromine, and the ocean floor has manganese nodules.

    1 mark

Answer: Minerals occur in veins and lodes, in sedimentary strata, as evaporites, as residual weathered ores, as placer deposits and in ocean water, each with its own formation and properties.

Where the marks are

  • Veins and lodes in igneous and metamorphic rocks (1 mark)
  • Sedimentary strata formed by heat and pressure (1 mark)
  • Evaporites (1 mark)
  • Weathering residue, e.g. bauxite (1 mark)
  • Placer and ocean minerals (1 mark)

Revise the chapter

Practise this chapterBoard-style questions from Minerals and Energy Resources, one at a time, marked against the answer key and marking points.Back to the full paper2026 board paper, set 32/5/1: every question, by section.

The question is transcribed from the official paper; figures are described in words. The solution, hints and chapter tag are ours. Spotted an error? Write tosupport@questionbuddy.in.